Enter Jondy
by Reilynn
Summary: I'm introducing Jondy to late S1. Chapter 6 is pure fluff. Ch 7 is up. More up soon. WIP
1. Set Up

**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. Not affiliated in any way with anyone. Nothing to sue here people, move along.

**Author's Note:** This story takes place after Field Commander Max, although all you really need to know is that Max has accepted the position of being Logan's Field Commander (as offered in Flushed) as is a little bit more protective of Logan now than she ever was in the series.

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Enter Jondy

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"What part of 'Max will kill me' are you having a problem understanding?" Bling asked Logan in exasperation.

"C'mon, Bling, this isn't an Eyes Only field mission. I am just going to meet an old friend," Logan said.

"Who said that he was in trouble," Bling said.

"Exactly," Logan confirmed.

"Trouble means take backup," Bling tried to patiently explain to the civilian.

"So you're coming with me?"

"Logan, why aren't you paging Max?"

Logan sighed and began to explain. "In the first place, I have known Jude since I was in seventh grade. I was a bit arrogant back then and I don't want Max to hear about those stories."

"I hate to break it to you, but I don't think she'd be surprised."

Logan frowned and continued. "Second, he said this was urgent and I needed to come right away."

"That should have been the first red flag. The location is the second," Bling pointed out. "You know Max could be here, or meet you there."

"She's at work. He boss is already furious about the amount of time she spends on Eyes Only assignments. Bling, I already ask too much of her."

"If you think that, you don't understand her at all." Logan just glared at Bling. "What's the real reason?"

"I have lost a grand total of four girlfriends over the years to him and … Max and I are just starting … and I'm …" Logan gestures at his legs and looks up at Bling with a pained expression.

"Logan, you should know damn well Max is the most secure and loyal girlfriend you could ever possibly have. She doesn't trust anyone else to get close enough to realize that there's something … unique about her. Those in the informant net that suspect something after the Vivaldi incident are too intimidated and think you have great courage to be dating even a half were-cat."

"Look, Bling, I told him I would be there in 20 minutes, which means I have to leave now. Are you coming or not?" Logan stared pushing himself towards the door.

"Yes." Bling checked his weapon and followed Logan to the elevator.

As the elevator doors closed Logan had to ask, "Half were-cat, huh?"

"Oh, yeah! I thought sex made for hot rumors. It's got nothing on the supernatural!" Both men laughed.

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"Yeah, that's him." The unidentified thug confirmed.

"I'm a dead man." Bling said.

"Not you, him!" corrected the unidentified thug.

"Doesn't matter. If you don't kill me, his girlfriend will." Bling replied.

Logan glared at Bling. "Jude, I can't believe you're involved with people like this."

"You always were a self righteous asshole, Logan Cale. You know, I never did like you, but I appreciate you showing up especially since we couldn't get a valid address on you. I personally never would have thought you were capable of accomplishing much, but hey. If I get to watch you suffer, it works for me." Jude gloated.

"I wasn't that much of an asshole, even in high school." Logan replied.

"Yeah, you were. You had it all - money, brains, looks, girls, talent – and you never let anyone forget it! I'm just glad I finally got to see you be wrong about something." Jude said.

"Just one of the many perks of working for me," a man in an expensive Italian suit said. "I'm not sure who you are?" He nodded to Bling as he took out his gun and put the silencer on.

"That's OK." Bling replied.

"But **you** don't have to die." The emphasis on the word 'you' letting them both know exactly what he thought of Logan's chances at this point.

"Nope, at this point I am definitely a dead man."

"Listen, there is no purpose to you dying too. Whatever he wants, what could it matter at this point?" Logan was trying to save his friend's life.

"He'll kill me quicker than Max will! I don't know what they have planned, but they can't have as many years black-ops experience as she has!" Bling snapped at Logan as the bad man in the good suit aimed the gun at his best friend's head.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think that you could be a long time dying," gloated an unnamed thug from a dark corner.

"Oh no." The man in the expensive suit said. "That was my predecessors' mistake now, wasn't it? I'm just going to kill you before this 'Max' can show up to save you."

Logan looked directly at the man who was about to shoot him. He heard a shot, a loud boom, and then everything went dark.

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Max had a drop off in Sector 9, so she swung by Logan's place as always. If she puttered around for an extra few minutes she would get back to Jam Pony too late in the day to go on another run. She figured that she would pop in, check on Logan, see if he needed anything from the market, then head back to clock out of work.

Max stalked around Logan's apartment. She'd had the uneasy feeling that something was wrong, but couldn't quite figure out what it was. Logan wasn't here but he wasn't expecting her so that shouldn't bother her, but it did. She unlocked his computer, checked where his GPS signal was, frowned at the bad part of town he was in, and left in a big hurry not realizing that she was already too late to save him.

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To be continued…..


	2. Trap Sprung

**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. Not affiliated in any way with anyone. Nothing to sue here people, move along.

_**Author's Note:**__ If this Bling starts to sound like the same Bling that Shywr1ter has crafted that is because it pretty much is. There isn't much canon on Bling; Shywr1ter has such a wonderful history and character; Maria656 is very sick of me killing or omitting Bling because I can't imagine Bling any other way and didn't want to copy Shywr1ter. Turns out that Shywr1ter would rather I use her fanon than kill off Bling, too. So for all of you that were worried about **Bling** (because I already stated I love __Logan__ and would never kill him), you can thank Shywr1ter, he is going to survive this after all! P.s. The best way to thank Shywr1ter would be to go review one or two of her stories._

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Gunshots and screams filled the air. Eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, utilizing what little light filtered in from the twilight outside. The smell of sulfur and smoke filled the dingy warehouse.

It took Logan a little bit to realize that he wasn't dead. He wasn't even hit. He was pretty sure he wasn't hit. His hands briefly searched his lower body but found no damp spots. Bling had taken advantage of the darkness to grab Logan's wheelchair and push him towards the exit. As Logan's eyes slowly adjusted to the he saw two men move to block their path, they collapsed in splatter of blood before they were able to take aim on them.

"Bling?" Logan asked.

"Wasn't me," Bling replied.

Then, as suddenly as the chaos erupted, there was silence. Bling left Logan to move the bodies so that Logan's wheelchair could get past the exit. Logan turned to look behind him and noticed a pair of eyes shining in the darkness stalking toward them.

"Max?" he asked.

"No," a female voice said. "But I'm looking for a Max. Since a Max saves you I thought you might be able to lead me to her. So I saved you … because he said Max would. Is that irony?" she asked.

"Yes. Jondy?" Logan was really hoping this was one of Max's siblings. Her eyes glowed like Max's. Logan assumed that meant she was a transgenic, but that didn't mean she was one of the ones that escaped. He heard only a slight gasp in response. "Tinga?"

"You're guessing," she guessed herself.

"Yes," Logan confirmed.

Light from the outside poured in and illuminated the warrior woman standing in front of Logan. She was taller than Max, fairer in coloring, and far more obviously a warrior; or perhaps it was just that she was dressed for battle.

"We should go. All that noise, somebody is going to call the police," Bling said.

Jondy gestured for Logan to lead the way. "I was wondering how you could possibly have known."

"I'm just lucky," Logan replied as he pushed himself outside.

Jondy watched him in silence as he moved to the car and began transferring into it. "You look it," she finally said as she very obviously looks him up and down.

'Definitely related to Max,' Logan thought. "Well, considering I've been shot; my hospital room was blown up with a bazooka; I was thrown off the roof of a 30 story building; that was actually the third time I was captured by mobsters out to kill me; at least one surgery I shouldn't have survived. I'm _very_ lucky to be still breathing at all."

"If she managed to save you from all that I think we are definitely talking about the same Max. Know where I could find her?"

Logan hesitated; not having anyway of being sure this was really Jondy. "Not exactly, but you could come back to my place. I'll make some bruschetta; she'll show up. It's uncanny."

"No, I have some cleaning up to do." Jondy hands Logan a small intricate silver cross. "Give her this. She'll know where to find me." Then she turns around and goes back into the warehouse. Logan and Bling drive off as sirens can be heard in the distance.

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To be continued…..


	3. Near Misses

**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. Not affiliated in any way with anyone. Nothing to sue here people, move along. I don't own anything here. I am not making any money on this.

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Max had left her bicycle at Logan's and taken her Ninja to the very bad part of town where Logan's and Bling's GPS signals were coming from. She'd go get Logan out of whatever he was in, drag him back home, and then go drop off her signature log. She'd tell Normal she was delayed by a flat tire.

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Logan and Bling drove back to Fogle Towers in awkward silence. Bling's hands were tightly gripping the steering wheel while he was trying to figure out a way to get out of admitting to Max that he had anything to do with taking Logan into a dangerous situation. Logan was also wondering how to avoid letting Max know he'd been in danger; but if that really was one of her siblings then there was no way she was not finding out. It was just a matter of presenting it properly. Logan smiled; surely he would be able to convince her that finding one of her siblings was worth a little danger, right? Of course, maybe, he should make some chocolate mouse tort, just in case.

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Max arrives at the warehouse to find police surrounding the place. 'Damn,' she thought, as she stashed her motorcycle and tried to figure out how to get past them to Logan.

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Jondy searched the entire warehouse. She took pictures of the bodies, for possible future reference. Put various souvenirs in a bag, for possible future reference. Planted a few incendiary devices at strategic spots so that she would be certain to thoroughly obliterate any evidence of her or that fascinating pair she rescued.

The police had arrived, but they were still shouting at the outside of the building. Probably would be for at least another five minutes. Jondy leapt to the rafters and quickly exited onto the roof. One quick glance over the edge confirmed that police hadn't surrounded the building, so she quickly, quietly, and completely unobserved, walked across the utility wire. She dropped unto the roof the neighboring building and then smiled as she faded into the coming night.

Three policemen that had just entered the building were injured when it blew.

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Neither Logan nor Bling noticed that Max's bicycle was in the alcove where her Ninja should have been.

It isn't until Logan arrives at his desk that he notices Max's bag from Jam Pony. Logan logs into his computer. A quick check of the history reveals that someone, presumably Max, has recently checked on his and Bling's GPS position. He paged Max quickly, hoping to warn her before she gets there, just as received the RSS police feed that the building has blown sky high.

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To be continued…..


	4. Whereabouts

**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. Not affiliated in any way with anyone. Nothing to sue here people, move along. I don't own anything here. I am not making any money on this.

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Enter Jondy, part 4

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Logan stared at his computer screen as the casualty reports kept streaming in with his phone gripped tightly in one hand. There was nothing about a civilian female. Still, the time between when he paged Max and the phone ran was the longest three minutes of his life.

"Hello," he tried to sound casual when he answered it, in case it wasn't her.

"You paged," Max tried to sound calm, in case Logan had a logical, acceptable explanation for this.

Logan let out a deep sigh of relief and asked, "Where are you?"

"Outside a grimy warehouse, watching some fireworks and a three ring circus," she replied.

Logan took that to mean that the emergency response wasn't going well. It also meant that he was busted. "You left your bag here."

"I'll be right there. And, Logan, don't go anywhere until I get there unless that building is on fire!" Max ordered then hung up.

"Yes, ma'am!" Logan quipped.

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Logan was sprinkling walnuts over the finished chocolate mousse torte when Max stormed into his apartment twenty minutes later. Logan could tell she was furious.

"Hey Max," Logan tried smiling cheerfully. He could see Max calm down. He wasn't sure if it was because he was safe, his smile or the chocolate mouse torte, but it didn't look like he was going to get chewed out too badly after all. Then Max's iron will kicked in.

"What were you doing at that warehouse?" she demanded as she stopped inches from him, her arms crossed in front of her, all but tapping her foot.

"I was meeting an old friend from school." Logan tried for casual.

"At that warehouse?" Max wasn't buying it.

"Yeah," Logan replied. "Oh, by the way, I ran into someone the claimed she was Jondy." Logan knew he needed to change the subject. "She said to give you this." He reached into his pocket, retrieved the ornate silver cross and then handed it to Max. "She said you would know where to find her."

"Jondy?" Max asked. She couldn't believe it! She took the cross and examined it for clues. It was intricately cast silver Celtic cross with a small clear jewel in the center. It was about one inch long, and half an inch wide. There was clearly a clasp on top where you were to string the necklace it was supposed to be on. They only experience with religion that Max and Jondy both shared was some janitor giving them a card of 'the Blue Lady'. Max later learned that was Mary and that particular symbol was associated with the Catholic Church but this wasn't a crucifix or a St. somebody medal, which might have told Max which church to look at.

"So, what does it mean?" Logan asked.

Max turned in over in her hand again, and again, looking for any signature or clue. Even with her enhanced vision, she could find no sign. Finally she was forced to admit, "I have no idea."

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To be continued…..


	5. Finally

**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. Not affiliated in any way with anyone. Nothing to sue here people, move along. I don't own anything here. I am not making any money on this.

Big THANK YOU to Maria for checking this.

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Enter Jondy, part 5

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"It's a tracking device," supplied Jondy from behind them. "You're slipping Max."

Max immediately positioned herself between Logan and the unidentified voice. Jondy smiled, turned and showed Max her bar code.

"Jondy!" Max cried and ran to embrace her sister. Logan quietly put the chocolate mousse torte into the fridge to set.

"I thought you had drowned. That I had let you down." Jondy said softly as she held her sister.

"How did you find me?" Max asked in amazement.

"I heard rumors of a Manticore prototype in Seattle. I didn't really think that you would still be here, but I had nothing better to do. Did Zack ever find you?"

"Kind of," Max replied.

"I am going to rack the son of a bitch the next time I see him!" Jondy mumbled furiously.

"It was only a couple months ago."

"Oh," Jondy glanced at Logan. "Let me guess, by the time he showed up to order you to leave Seattle, you'd already become … attached?"

"Kind of," Max replied softly.

"Kind of?" asked Jondy.

"Yeah," Max nodded.

"You going to elaborate?"

"It's kind of a long story."

Jondy shrugged, "As I said I've got nothing better to do."

"How did you know that Logan knew me?" Max asked. Logan cringed.

Jondy smiled, "Well, this guy that was about to shoot him said 'I'm just going to kill you before this 'Max' can show up to save you.' So I shot him first."

Max turned on Logan, "Guy that was about to shoot you?"

"Um … well … uh …. Yeah," Logan eventually confessed.

"What did I tell you about going to meetings without me?" Max practically screamed at him.

"This wasn't a .." Logan pauses to glance at Jondy. "He was just an old friend from school."

"With friends like that …" Jondy quipped.

"That is **IT**! You are on KP for a **month**!" Max yelled.

"And that is different how exactly?" Logan retorted.

Jondy stifled a guffaw and slunk off to the kitchen. Max glanced at her beloved sister in frustration but waited until she was out of the room so that she and Logan can have their spat in the semblance of privacy. Max knew that there was not anywhere in the apartment that Jondy could go and still not hear every word, if she wanted to.

"You scrub toilets?" Max retorted.

"I can't exactly get down on my hands and knees and do that, now can I?" Logan replied dryly.

"Why not? You never let your injury stop you from doing anything else!" Max flung back.

That stopped Logan cold. _Max can't really believe that, could she?_ "Yes, it does," Logan replied quietly.

Max could tell by the instant change in Logan's demeanor that she has hit a nerve. _Yet another misstep in the veritable mine-field of human interactions._ Her anger dissipated as fast as it appeared. "What?" she asked, all too aware that she has somehow hurt Logan , again, but not understanding how.

Logan looked up at Max, pained. _She really doesn't know. _"Long story. Why don't you go catch up with Jondy. We can talk later."

Max knelt down at Logan's feet. She took his hands in hers and looked up at him. "I don't want to lose you Logan. I don't mind dropping **anything** to go with you, if it is important. I … you scared me, Logan."

"I know. I am sorry." Logan has just placed his hand on Max's face, drawing her up to him for a kiss, when his 'special' cell phone line rings. He sighed, "Go visit with Jondy."

Max nodded, kissed him quickly on the cheek, and dashed off to the kitchen.

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When Max entered the kitchen Jondy had her head in the fridge. "You know I was going to ask you if you were sure he is worth all this trouble, but it looks like he's got some good stuff in here."

"Oh, you haven't tasted anything yet!" Max grabbed two forks from the drawer and joined her sister.

Jondy happily accepted the fork and they proceeded to clean out Logan's fridge, one container at a time. "So, I take it he is the reason you are still in Seattle?"

"Kind of," hedged Max.

"Again with the 'kind of's. Max, it's me. Either you are in love with him or you need to get out of Seattle. Believe me, I understand."

"You were in love?" Max asked.

"Oh, yeah."

"Where is he?"

"Dead. He died defending me … us," Jondy placed her hand on her abdomen as a tear ran down her face. After a moment she took a deep breath and shook it off. "I was shot anyway. When I woke up, I wasn't pregnant anymore and he was dead. I'd defied Zack by staying with him in the first place, so I had no way of getting in contact with anyone. In the end it was for nothing, and I spent a long time wondering if I did the right thing. Eventually I decided that, since I couldn't change the past regardless, I'd go with the 'it was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.'".

"I'm sorry," Max said.

"It's OK. It was years ago. And I'm not alone anymore. I won't let you down again."

"You never let me down in the first place."

"I left you."

"You had to. I knew what you would do, exactly as we were trained. You drew them away from me. It's all good." Max smiled at her sister.

Jondy finally smiled. "So why are you still in Seattle?"

Max sighed. "Logan."

"You love him?" Jondy asked far too quietly for anyone but Max to hear.

Max nodded.

"It's all good. Maybe with two of us defending him at least one of us can get a 'happily ever after', eh? Although, he does seem kind of high maintenance."

"He can be," Max conceded, "but wait until you taste this delicious chocolate thingy." Max triumphantly removed the chocolate mousse torte from the fridge. _Jondy, my sister, here, accepting and willing to help and chocolate; Life is good._

_An hour later._

"Okay, thanks. I really appreciate this." Logan finally finished with his phone calls, e-mails and various miscellaneous mischief.

"Hey Logan!" Max called out as she and Jondy entered Logan's computer room.

Logan quickly tabbed away from any incriminating screens and turned to face Max and Jondy.

"Logan, any chance you could scrounge up some ID for Jondy?" Max asked.

Logan paused and looked between Max and Jondy for a moment. Jondy misunderstood his hesitation. "I don't care if you are doing illegal things. Heck, me breathing is probably illegal. Max vouched for you, that's good enough for me."

"Well, yeah, I can. It'll take a day or two. How do you spell Jondy?" Logan asked, more than happy to let Jondy jump to the wrong conclusion about what he was up to.

"I better not use Jondy on anything official. Jane, Joy, June, Mary, whatever." Jondy turns to Max, "You have Max on an official document?"

"Maxine used to be common name," she replied.

_In other words, yes. _"We definitely better not have a Max and a Jondy together. I'm pretty used to aliases. Whatever you can get is fine."

"No problem, I can have it by tomorrow morning. Now, the torte should be finished."

"Oh, yeah, it's finished." Max replied with a grin.

"You two ate the whole thing?" he asked with a touch of disbelief but far more amusement. In truth he was very happy that Max would have someone like her, and for more than just back up.

"Rescues build up an appetite!" Jondy replied, as if he should have known better.

Logan had to laugh. Jondy had to admit she could see what Max saw in him, even though she knew there was quite a bit to this Logan Cale that she didn't know about, yet. Still, he was Max's, and she would not encroach for all the world. "So I presume you're not hungry any more." Logan said.

"Nope, I'll see you the morning. You can let me know what my name is then."

"You got a place to stay?" Max asked.

"Yeah, I rented one of the rooms over Kung-Pow, the martial arts studio in Chinatown, on seventh. As long as you speak like a native they accept you, and don't ask questions. Private people, I always liked that. Probably doesn't hurt that it's not easy to pin down our ethnicity."

"It's probably the feline that throws them," Max grinned.

"China town is a great place to hide; Military convoys stick out like a sore thumb and generate quite a stir before they ever get close. The Chinese food place down the street is just a bonus."

"You speak Chinese?" Logan asked, intrigued. The language barrier was his biggest obstacle in getting information from China Town.

"A couple dialects."

Logan's phone rings again. Max sighs. Jondy stifles a giggle.

"I'm going to see Jondy's place. I'll be back later." Max grabbed her coat and showed Jondy how to re-enable the security system as they left.

Logan smiled. This was going to work out better than he could have hoped for. Max and Jondy would have each other for back up and company, since neither slept much. Unbidden an old saying about never getting just one kitten sprang to his mind.

Of course, a month from now he would not be able to imagine how he could have thought that two X5's would get into less trouble than one.

_To be continued…_


	6. Fluff

**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. Not affiliated in any way with anyone. Nothing to sue here people, move along. I don't own anything here. I am not making any money on this.

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Enter Jondy, part 6

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Logan put the finishing touches on Jondy's paperwork. He'd stayed up too late, again, but this was important. He supposed that he should have spent more time asking her what kind of a background she wanted. Logan stifled a yawn, and then took his glasses off to rub his eyes. _Bed or work? Bed or work?_

"Okay, Spill it," said Max.

Logan jumped. "Spill what?"

Max looked at Logan for a moment, concerned. "Earlier, I said that you never let your injury stop you from doing anything. You got really … sad and said it did." Max feigned a disinterested shrug. "What does it stop you from doing?"

Logan blushed. Max arched one brow as she quietly absorbed this new clue, a small suspicion growing in the back of her mind.

"It's nothing," Logan eventually mumbled as he quickly turned his wheelchair to go into the bedroom.

Max moved quicker to intercept. "It isn't nothing. Logan I said something that hurt you. You must have known going into this …" _This what? Are we in a relationship? What am I to him? Other than a soldier? _ " … us, that I can be … blunt … and kind of …. clumsy socially."

"Max." Logan again wondered how fair this … whatever they had… was to Max.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Logan."

"I know."

"So explain to me what is going on so I can not do it again!" The two most stubborn people in Seattle stared at each other for some time.

Eventually Logan had to relent. "Max, I have to go to the bathroom."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'WHY'?" Logan knew she had missed a few of the social subtleties, but jeez!

"Why do you have to go the bathroom?" Max repeated calmly, as if it was an everyday question.

"I refuse to believe that you are not aware that 'have to go to the bathroom' is a polite euphemism for 'have to go urinate'!"

"I thought you had a complete break."

"I do. How did you know that?"

"It was in your chart. That usually means you can't feel stuff like that."

That surprised Logan. "I can't. I have a schedule I need to keep or risk infection and … other repercussions. I'm already late. Please let me go."

Max moved out of his way and thought over the clues she had picked up. _He didn't think I knew about his injury. It's embarrassing to him. This couldn't be about … us, could it? _Unbidden Jondy's words earlier "It is better to have loved and lost" sprang to mind. All the reasons to not risk their current, comfortable relationship whirled in Max's mind_. I almost lost him again tonight. I almost lost him, and I've never …_

Max took a deep breath, gathered her courage, left her coat on his computer desk and went to wait for Logan on his bed.

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Logan finally finished in the bathroom. He didn't notice Max laying on his bed. He had changed into dark navy pajamas. He started back to his computer with every intention of telling Max that he was too tired for talking or thinking and needed sleep.

"Took you long enough. You're almost as bad as O.C." she quipped, startling Logan.

"Max!" Logan gasped.

"Logan," Max said softly. With her usual feline grace she slipped down from his bed and stalked over to him. Logan sat motionless, transfixed by the sexy sway of her hips and the soft padding of bare feet towards him. Max straddled Logan and lowered herself gently onto his lap, her breasts just barely brushing against his chest. She took his face gently in her hands and raised it so that she could look him deeply in the eyes. "Logan, tell me." Max paused, but when he would not answer, she continued. "I am sorry I said something to hurt you and I want to make it up to you. Tell me what you want to do and we will figure out some way that we can do it. I don't ever want to hurt you."

A soft laugh escaped Logan at the sheer irony. He wrapped his arms around Max and pulled her to him. She came willingly, eagerly, joyfully, and with a soft sigh of contentment she wrapped her arms around him too. "I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose, Max."

Max held Logan while he fought his personal demons. His grip on her tightened as his fear grew that, if she really knew how little of him was left, this would be the last time he would be able to hold her in his arms. Max waited patiently for Logan to decide how they would proceed. She ran her fingers through his unruly hair. The tip of her nose grazed lightly over his ear as she reveled in his touch, his scent, his arms...

Logan's fear gained the upper hand. He released her from his embrace. "Max, I'm very tired."

Max pulled back to stare at him. "Perfect time for an interrogation. Tell me, and I'll let you go to bed." Max replied ruthlessly, completely shocking Logan.

"Max! I said I am too tired for this right now."

"And I said you could go to bed as soon as you tell me."

"Nothing, Max. It's … nothing."

"Logan, I want to help you. I want. … I need you to be honest with me, Logan."

The two most stubborn people in Seattle continued to stare at each other. Eventually, Logan's longing gained the momentary upper hand over his fears. "I thought my injury was the reason we hadn't … made love," he blurted out before he can stop himself.

"No," Max said as she rose from his lap. "It is not."

Logan felt the cold where Max's warmth used to be. Isn't this exactly what he knew would happen, if he expressed desire for her? Pain, panic and regret nearly overwhelm Logan so that he does not notice Max moving him to his bed. Suddenly he stopped next to his bed and noticed that Max was setting the brakes on his wheelchair.

"Max?" Logan asked, as she pulled back the covers.

"I told you that you could go to bed as soon as you answered my question, and you can, but … I still have a couple more things that I need to say." Max looked up at Logan uncertainly as she bit her lower lip.

Logan nodded and slowly, arduously, transferred himself into his bed under Max's steady gaze. He had just pulled himself away from the edge, when an extensively unclad Max dashed in beside him. She had, at some point, removed her sweater and pants. _What kind of a man could not notice Max taking off clothes? I really am pathetic,_ Logan thought wretchedly. _Max is crawling into bed with me wearing only a thin cream colored camisole and tiny matching panties that look like they are only held on with a little ribbon bow, and I am unhappy. What is **wrong** with me? Oh, yeah. I can't DO anything about it._

Max shoved Logan's unfeeling legs into what she hoped was a comfortable position and slid into bed next to him. She didn't quite have the confidence to look at him while she told him what she needed to say, what he needed to hear, so she buried her face against his throat. Logan enfolded her slight, slightly clad from in his strong arms. She took a deep breath and risked humiliation for the man she loved. Her words came out in a rush as she tried to get everything out before she lost her courage.

"Logan, your injury is the reason we haven't had sexual intercourse, the reason we may never be able to. I know that you probably can't get an erection. Intercourse is way overrated anyhow. Just ask O.C. The prospect of doing without it for the rest of my life doesn't bother me."

_The rest of her life? She's thinking of forever? _ Logan wondered in awe.

Oblivious to how amazed Logan was, Max surged onward. "Making love is about emotions and intimacy and openness and there are so many things we could do!" Max's courage ran out. Her voice broke. Her eyelashes fluttered against his cheek as she tried to blink away the tears she could feel threatening her brave façade. "If you want to be with a …me."

_She was going to say 'a genetically engineered killing machine'. _Suddenly realizing Max's insecurities galvanized Logan into action. He tightened his arms around Max, pressing her body against his. "I want you more than anything."

"Really?" Max said in a shaky voice, her eyes glistening in the dim light.

"Really!" Lowering his mouth to hers, he gazed into her eyes. "I am in love with you Max." _Please, please, don't run away from me, not now,_ he prayed.

Her full lips grazed over his as she told him, "You're the only man I've ever loved, Logan. The only one I ever will."

Logan's hand pulled her ample lips to his for a fiery kiss, pleasure and warmth radiated outward, and suddenly she was all that mattered in the world. Logan knew she was too young to make such a declaration of eternal love, but he needed her more than air right now. She's never seen how love can die. The reason came to him instantly, _because she has never had love before_. He needed to soothe all her worries about where she was from, what she was. He needed her to feel his acceptance and let her acceptance soothe all his fears and insecurity about his condition.

Max writhed and moaned in joy at his touch. Logan's hands roamed every inch of Max's flesh that he could reach. He noted that she kept her hands where he could feel her, her touch more reassuring than he could explain. _She knows where the injury line is._ _She knew it was complete. She knows …everything, and she is still here._ _Please, don't let it be because she doesn't think anyone else would want a genetically engineered soldier._ Logan grappled his insecurities again as Max clasped him to her.

Max could pick up something was wrong, but for once underestimated it. She tore her lips away from his and trailed hot shivery kisses all the way to his ear. Her warm breath sent shivers down his spine as it ran over his ear. "I know you're exhausted. It's alright. Whenever you are ready, Logan. Whatever, whenever, I'll be here."

"Tomorrow," Logan murmured sleepily. "Tomorrow morning." Grateful for the respite and hoping his quick wits would be back after some sleep, Logan willed himself to go to sleep. Max laid her head on his chest and he gently petted her hair until he fell asleep.

When Max was certain that Logan was sound asleep she gently unbuttoned his pajama top and, using all her skills as a pickpocket, slipped inside so that her skin touched his skin without waking him. Contentedly, she nuzzled the soft sprinkle of hair on his chest. Instinctively, Logan held her to him. Feeling safe and warm and … wanted, she drifted off to sleep herself.

_To be continued…._


	7. The Morning After

**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. Not affiliated in any way with anyone. Nothing to sue here people, move along. I don't own anything here. I am not making any money on this.

Huge THANK YOU to Maria for making time to Beta this no matter how hectic her RL gets.

∞∞∞∞

Enter Jondy, part 7

∞∞∞∞

_A few hours later …_

Max woke, warm and secure in Logan's arms. It was so unusual to not wake up disoriented, cold or scared. _I could get used to this,_ she thought as she snuggled in for the rest of the night.

_Logan's penthouse, 8 am _

The shrill sound of the alarm awoke Logan, who was only momentarily confused by the weight on his chest that prevented him from rolling over to turn it off. He smiled at Max as she immediately started hitting every button on the top of his alarm clock. Fortunately, the alarm clock decided to be quiet before she started hitting hard enough to do permanent damage. Logan had to smile as he realized she had unbuttoned his pajamas to touch him skin to skin.

"Morning," he said, his voice deep and husky, still close to sleep.

Max looked to Logan, seeking verification that he was OK with everything. She found it in his smile and gave him a smile in return. "Good Morning," she clarified.

_Very good,_ they thought, unaware that they were both thinking the same thing is so many, many ways.

Max leaned in to kiss him, but Logan stopped her. At her hurt look Logan explained, "The alarm goes off to remind me that I have to go to the bathroom."

"Oh, okay." Max pulled the covers back and jumped out of his way. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Logan shook his head and transferred back into his wheelchair. Max waited impatiently while he did whatever it was he did in there. Max had a vague idea of what was involved, and if he had not taken just as long last night then she would suspect that he was stalling. When Logan did finally come out of the bathroom he had left his shirt.

"Hey." Max smiled in appreciation.

"Hey." Logan fidgeted under Max's frank admiration.

"It's morning."

"Yeah."

"Anything particular you had in mind?" Max smiled suggestively, wondering what Logan would want.

"Coffee?" Logan asked nervously.

Max's face clearly showed her disappointment. "If that's what you want." She slipped off the bed pulled her jeans back on. She walked past Logan to grab a clean shirt from her 'after missions' stash.

Logan reached out and took her hand as she walked by. "Max. I … What do you want?"

Max kneeled in front of him. "Whatever you're comfortable with, Logan. Nothing more."

"You are right about options. Bling tried to talk to me about … options. I wouldn't let him. I didn't think I would ever need to know."

_How could you think no one would ever want you again!_ Suddenly Max realized the depths of his pain and insecurities. _How can I fix this?_

"I'll … ask when he stops by today. I am sure that he will be thrilled that I am finally … "

Max interrupted Logan's obviously uncomfortable confession with a long, slow kiss. By the time she broke the kiss she had an idea, which while not guaranteed to reassure Logan, was at least worth a shot. "No hurry. Don't take this the wrong way, because I love touching you and kissing you and being held by you. More than I ever imagined possible. But, 98.28 of the time, I don't actually desire … sex." Max hesitantly looked up at Logan to see how he was taking this. _At least I've taken his mind of HIS abnormalities._ "So, don't do anything … drastic or invasive and forget about those pills that can cause heart problems. If they could make you feel something then it might be worth it but, as it is, they are not!"

Logan smiled. "You've done some research."

"Cats. Curiosity. WAY too much feline in my cocktail."

"98.28 is a very precise number."

"X5's are precise." Max paused, unsure of how to continue. "WAY too much feline in my cocktail."

"Max, what about the other 2 of the time."

"1.72" Max corrected. Logan just continued to stare at her, patiently. "Two, usually three times a year, for about fifty hours … I do want … sex."

Logan continued to wait, patiently.

"Cats…y'know … mating cycles…" Max started. She could see comprehension burst onto Logan's handsome features.

"So you go into … Wow!"

"I'm not right now. But, I do have a couple of hours until I have to be at work. Up for a shower? I could use someone to get those spots I can't quiet reach."

_She's trying to change the subject._ Logan attempted to reassure Max with a smile. "Not quite. Why do I get the feeling you know more about my injury than I do?"

"Because I have really awesome memory?"

"Hmmm." Logan shook his head.

"Because I did a ton of research on biology to try and figure out what is wrong with me?"

"Uh-uh"

"Because you've been to busy ignoring your injury to learn about it?"

"No."

"Hmmm," she murmured. Max leaned in to Logan, taking him in her embrace. "How about , because I care about you more than you do?"

Their kiss was long and slow and sweet.

"I'm going to go make breakfast. Want anything?"

"Yes," replied Max as she looked at Logan with such longing it made him ache.

"Max." Logan knew what she wanted. Rationally he knew she had to know what he was, or more specifically, was not capable of, but he still could not quite accept the idea of being intimate with someone when he couldn't … be intimate. He gathered her into his arms and held her.

"Can I at least get breakfast before I have to run off to work?"

"Of course." Logan released her and preceded to the kitchen to prepare a feast to make up for all that, in his own mind, he couldn't give her.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Shortly after Max left Jondy strolled in. Logan had just started putting away the leftovers when he heard an "Mmm" from behind him.

"You expecting a convention?" Jondy asked, eyeing the food.

Logan almost laughed. He wondered briefly if all X5's had such appetites. Probably. Food certainly wouldn't have been a problem for Manticore. Not that Biology was his strong point, but he supposed it made sense that they had to consume a lot of calories to 'pay for' all their abilities. "Just a couple of X5's."

It was so odd to Jondy, talking openly about being an X5, but she adapted quickly. "So … I can have some?"

"You can have as much as you like. I have some papers ready for you."

"Thanks. Yummmmm." Jondy looked delighted as she consumed the last orange scone. "Wow, you are good. No wonder Max is crazy about you." Jondy didn't realize she was automatically on Logan's good side just by being Max's sister; even so the comment had the exact desired effect.

Logan smiled, pleased with the confirmation of what he meant to Max. "Any preference on a background? Any special skills or certifications that you would like?"

"Nah. I'm trying to keep a low profile. And, somehow, I suspect you will provide more than enough in the way of adventure. Actually I was thinking of swinging by Jam Pony. See if they have an opening."

"Going to go work with Max?"

"That, and I don't suspect he checks anyone out. Not that your paperwork wouldn't stand up to inquiry," Jondy amended hastily when she realized she might have given offense. "I'll get a sector pass and nobody pays attention to … messengers. They are so … proletarian. So, what do we know about this Normal guy that passes out the invisibility passes?"

"That's a good question. I have no idea."

"Supposedly his real name is Reagan Ronald. How long would it take you to do some basic recon?"

"Five minutes."

"Way faster than me. You win. I'll just finish up here." Jondy stuffed the last of the bacon in her mouth.

Logan smiled and turned away to go to his computers. How much could there be on Reagan Ronald?

To Be Continued….


End file.
